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A2 Tool Steel: Properties, Applications, and Comparison with D2 Tool Steel
- John
What is A2 Tool Steel?
A2 tool steel is a medium carbon chromium alloy steel that belongs to the group of cold work tool steels. It has air hardening properties, which means it can reach full hardness (57-62 HRC) without quenching in oil or water. With a 5% chromium content, this steel has a good balance of toughness and wear resistance, making it suitable for a variety of industrial applications.
SteelPRO Group specializes in providing A2 steel that offers superior durability and ease of machining. Compared to O1, A2 provides better wear resistance and toughness, while being easier to machine than the harder D2 tool steel, making it an ideal choice for various industrial applications.
What is A2 Tool Steel Equivalent to?
At SteelPRO Group, we offer A2 tool steel that meets international standards, ensuring compatibility with a range of global manufacturing practices. The following are common equivalent grades of A2 tool steel:
1. DIN (Germany): 1.2363
2. JIS (Japan): SKD12
3. EN (European Standard): X153CrMoV12
4. BS (British Standard): BS 4659 (Grade 1)
5. AFNOR (France): Z40CDV5
6. UNS (America): T30102
A2 Tool Steel Properties
At SteelPRO Group, we understand that A2 tool steel’s combination of toughness, wear resistance, and machinability is key to ensuring your products perform at their best. Our A2 steel is engineered to meet the highest standards, offering exceptional performance across various industrial applications, from tool manufacturing to precision components.
Main Features of A2 Tool Steel
- High hardness and wear resistance: The hardness can reach 57~62HRC after heat treatment, and the high carbon and high chromium components make it excellent in wear resistance.
- Good toughness: It is not easy to break when subjected to impact and bending, and is suitable for manufacturing molds and tools that need to withstand large impact forces.
- Excellent hardenability: The carbides are evenly distributed, and the hardness of the entire section is consistent after quenching, which improves the overall performance.
- Dimensional stability: The dimensional change is small after heat treatment, which is suitable for manufacturing high-precision molds and tools.
- Easy to process and polish: It can be turned, milled, drilled and ground, and the surface is smooth after polishing.
- High temperature hardness retention: High hardness at high temperature, suitable for high temperature cutting.
A2 Tool Steel Chemical Composition
At SteelPRO Group, we ensure that our A2 steel maintains optimal quality with precise control over the alloying elements.
| Element | Percentage (%) |
| Carbon (C) | 1.00% |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.75% |
| Silicon (Si) | 0.30% |
| Chromium (Cr) | 5.00% |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 1.00% |
| Vanadium (V) | 0.25% |
| Nickel (Ni) | 0.30% Max |
| Phosphorus (P) | 0.03% Max |
| Sulfur (S) | 0.03% Max |
The high chromium content (5%) increases hardenability and wear resistance, while molybdenum (1%) contributes to toughness and strength. Vanadium increases the steel’s resistance to wear and deformation, ensuring the consistency and reliability your industrial operations require.
A2 Tool Steel Mechanical Properties
| Property | Value |
| Tensile Strength | 170,000 – 220,000 psi (1170 – 1517 MPa) |
| Yield Strength | 160,000 psi (1100 MPa) |
| Hardness (Rockwell C) | 57-62 HRC |
| Modulus of Elasticity | 30 x 10⁶ psi (207 GPa) |
| Poisson’s Ratio | 0.3 |
| Machinability | 70% of 1% Carbon Steel |
| Impact Toughness | 20-25 ft-lb at room temperature |
A2 Tool Steel Physical Properties
| Property | Value |
| Density | 0.284 lb/in³ (7861 kg/m³) |
| Specific Gravity | 7.86 |
| Thermal Conductivity | 21.7 W/m·K (at 100°C) |
| Thermal Expansion | 12.5 µm/m·K (from 20-100°C) |
| Modulus of Elasticity | 207 GPa |
A2 Tool Steel Heat Treatment
Heat treating is critical to optimizing the properties of A2 tool steel and our advanced heat treating processes are carefully engineered to achieve the required hardness, durability and life for all your tooling needs.
- Stress Relieving: We heat A2 to 1100-1200°F (593-649°C) for 1 hour to reduce internal stresses, ensuring better stability during later stages of processing.
- Annealing: A2 is heated to 1550-1600°F (843-871°C) and cooled slowly to 1000°F (538°C), softening the material for easier machining and shaping.
- Hardening: A2 is heated to 1750-1850°F (954-1010°C) and quenched in air to achieve the desired hardness and minimize distortion.
- Tempering: After hardening, we temper A2 at 400-1100°F (204-593°C), relieving stresses and improving toughness.
- Quenching: For A2, quenching is typically done in air, as it is an air-hardening steel, which minimizes distortion compared to water or oil quenching.
- Nitriding: We apply nitriding to improve surface hardness, wear resistance, and fatigue strength, enhancing the steel’s performance in demanding applications.
Machining of A2 Tool Steel
At SteelPRO Group, we utilize the latest technology to process A2 tool steel with minimal effort and maximum efficiency.
- Welding:A2 steel can be welded using proper techniques and pre-heating. However, post-weld heat treatment (stress relieving) is often necessary to relieve stresses that can cause cracking.
- Melting:We utilize electric arc or induction furnaces to maintain precise temperature control and preserve the alloy’s characteristics.
- Surface Treatment:For improved wear resistance, A2 can undergo surface treatments such as nitriding, which enhances its hardness and fatigue strength.
Advantages and Disadvantages of A2 Tool Steel
Advantages:
- Good wear resistance: A2 tool steel boasts exceptional wear resistance, making it ideal for high-wear industrial applications, including stamping dies and cutting tools.
- Excellent toughness: Compared with other high-hardness tool steels, A2 can provide better toughness and impact resistance while maintaining good hardness, reducing the risk of fracture.
- Good processing performance: A2 steel has relatively good processing performance, is easier to turn and mill, and is suitable for precision processing needs.
- Self-hardening: A2 steel has air hardening properties and can achieve the required hardness without oil or water quenching, reducing deformation problems during quenching.
- Higher thermal stability: It has strong thermal stability and is suitable for high-temperature working environments.
Disadvantages:
Relatively low corrosion resistance: While A2 steel contains chromium for corrosion resistance, its performance in this regard is lower than that of steels like D2, which have a higher chromium content. SteelPRO Group offers tailored solutions, including surface treatments, to help mitigate this drawback and improve corrosion resistance when required.
Lower hardness limit: Although A2 steel has a hardness between 57-62 HRC, it is slightly lower than steel grades such as D2 (which can reach a hardness of 64 HRC) and may not be suitable for applications that require extremely high wear resistance.
High heat treatment requirements: Achieving optimal hardness and toughness with A2 tool steel requires precise heat treatment processes. SteelPRO Group employs advanced heat treatment technology to ensure that A2 steel reaches its maximum potential, minimizing any risks of suboptimal hardness or toughness.
A2 Tool Steel Applications
Our expert team ensures that A2 steel is tailored to meet the specific needs of each application, providing exceptional performance and long-lasting durability. Here are some common uses of A2 tool steel:
- Punches and Dies: Blanking, forming, and trimming dies, coining dies, and thread roller dies.
- Cutting Tools: Cold forming tools, spindles, shear blades, slitter blades.
- Molds and Gauges: Block and ring gauges, punch plates, reamers.
- Industrial Tools: Hammers, industrial knives, knurls, knurling tools.
Is A2 Tool Steel Good for Knives?
Yes, A2 tool steel is often used in high-performance knives, especially those requiring a balance between toughness and edge retention. A2 has good wear resistance, excellent hardness (57-62 HRC), and maintains its edge even under harsh conditions.
At SteelPRO Group, we ensure that A2 steel for knives is processed to meet specific hardness requirements, providing strength without compromising toughness. However, A2’s hardness is slightly lower than D2, so while it performs excellently in tough, high-performance knives, it may not be the best choice for knives that need extreme edge retention over time.
What is the Difference Between A2 Tool Steel and D2 Tool Steel?
A2 and D2 are both high-performance tool steels but differ in their composition and performance characteristics:
- Hardness: At SteelPRO Group, we offer both D2 and A2 steels, with D2 typically having a higher hardness range (58-64 HRC) compared to A2 (57-62 HRC), and assist clients in selecting the optimal material based on their hardness requirements.
- Wear Resistance: D2 boasts superior wear resistance due to its higher carbon and chromium content, yet A2 offers a balanced solution suitable for numerous applications.
- Machinability: A2 is easier to machine compared to D2.
- Toughness: A2 offers better toughness and is less brittle than D2.
- While D2 is ideal for applications requiring high wear resistance, A2 is better for tools that need to withstand both impact and wear, such as punches and dies.
A2 Tool Steel Supplier: SteelPRO Group
Our A2 tool steel is manufactured to international standards and undergoes strict quality controls to ensure it performs as expected during production. Whether you require specific dimensions or custom treatments, we can meet your unique needs. The team at SteelPRO Group is here to support your business, from helping you select the right tool steel to ensure timely delivery.
